Belle stared at him for a moment, and Mitch wondered if she was going to object to his use of the nickname, but instead, she just said, “I haven’t been by in awhile. I thought I’d see how it’s been going.”
“That’s great. C’mon, let’s start downstairs. I was just down there checking over a few things.”
Belle nodded and walked beside him to the stairs behind the staircase that led to the second floor. Mitch led the way, glancing back to make sure she was following. The wide stairs were still just rough wood, the finishing touches yet to come.
“The sewing area is all complete. We’re just waiting for the inspection. This area required the most electrical work since we had to accommodate the sewing machines.” He led the way into the large brightly lit workspace. Because it was in the basement, they’d wanted to make sure it had plenty of artificial light.
“These are great,” Belle said as she ran her hand along one of the raised work tables. “So much better than what the seamstresses have now. They’ll have a ton of space to work on the dresses, and there’s plenty of space for forms and sewing machines as well.”
“The areas for the brides to try on their dresses for fittings, are out here,” Mitch said, walking to the door. These weren’t as lavish as the ones upstairs, but they would still have plenty of space for a bride to model her dress.
“Having two areas will be great,” Belle said. “Right now, we can only schedule one fitting at a time.”
He showed her the employee section which would be a place with large lockers where they could safely store their coats and personal belongings while they worked. It would also have a table, a small kitchen area, and some couches when it was all done. The employee washrooms were also in that same area.
“It’s looking so much like Tristan’s 3D model now,” Belle said as they made their way back upstairs.
“Yep. As we get closer to the end, it looks more and more like it.” After giving her a tour of the main floor, he paused before going up the stairs to the second. “Not a lot has changed on the upper floor since you were last here, but we have done a little more of the finishing work.”
When Belle headed up the stairs, Mitch had no choice but to follow. He just didn’t want a repeat of what had happened the last time she was up there with him. Well, actually, he wouldn’t have minded a repeat if there wasn’t such a sure chance that the result would be the same as last time.
After they walked through the consultation room, Mitch led the way to her office, but this time, instead of stepping into the room with her, he lingered in the doorway. She looked around then went to stand at the window.
“Has there been any more graffiti?” she asked as she turned back around.
“No, but we’ve had someone on site through the night ever since Monday. We’ve told him to be discreet in hopes that we can catch whoever is doing it, but perhaps that person saw or sensed something that scared them away.”
“So we’ll have to continue to have someone on site once the store has opened if we don’t catch them, eh?”
“You never told me what Andre’s business was.” Mitch moved further into the room. “I didn’t know that he is your competition.”
Belle scoffed as she waved a hand dismissively in the air. “He’s not competition. Why do you think he tried to lure me away from my mom? I’m good at my job. I learned from the best. He thought getting me would help him and hurt my mom.” Her expression seemed regretful as she turned away from him to face the window again. “I suppose it worked for awhile, but my mom had managed the business on her own before me, and she managed to do it on her own again after I left with Andre.”
“You didn’t want to keep working with your mom?”
She let out a sigh as she crossed her arms. “I was young. I saw a chance to prove myself, I guess. To have a say in how a bridal business was run. To get out from under my mom’s thumb. Andre saw my desire for all of that and played me like a violin.”
“How did you meet him?”
“There’s a bridal fair each year,” Belle said as she turned to face him again. “Andre approached me when I was working at our booth one year. He seemed to know exactly what to say. How to get my attention. Flowers. Candy. Intimate dinners. Jewelry. He went all out, and I fell for it.”
“You thought he was your Prince Charming,” Mitch stated.
She gave him a weak smile. “I was more like my mom than I cared to admit. But thankfully, I grew up fast and found my way out.” Her expression hardened. “And I learned never to repeat my mistakes.”
While Mitch was grateful that she’d gotten away from Andre, it was disheartening to him to now have to deal with the aftermath. The knowledge that she refused to give him a chance because of what Andre had done to her.
“You’ve taken the business and run with it. What has his business done?”
“Well, he’s still in business, but he’s limping along. We’ve heard through some of our customers that he’s botched a couple of weddings and messed up a few dresses. Nothing too major, but honestly, in this business, even the smallest slip-up can ruin a bride’s day, and that’s not what you want to happen.”
“So perhaps Andre really hasn’t been able to replace you,” Mitch said.
“Not in the business anyway. I have no doubt he’s replaced me in his personal life.”
Mitch let his gaze drift past Belle to the view out the window. “He might end up doing what he can to sabotage your business.”
“But why wait til now? He’s had years to try to do that.”
“This new building is proof—very visible proof—that Belles & Beaus is doing fine. Better than fine. Your business is flourishing. Maybe as long as you were at the old location, he could imagine you were just getting by like he was. But purchasing and renovating this building means that you’re more than just getting by. You have what he wants.”
Belle took a step toward him. “So what do we do? How do we prove that the damage is from him?”
“I have no idea, to be honest. Short of catching someone who then turns on Andre, I’m not sure what to do. I doubt Andre would do anything malicious himself.”
“I had finally decided I was doing something to get past Andre.” Belle frowned and turned away from Mitch. “And now this. He’s causing even more issues for me.”
Mitch went to her side, resting his hand lightly between her shoulder blades when what he really wanted to do was give her a reassuring hug. “We’ll figure this out. Rory is going to find out if there’s something the cops can do.”
Belle shook her head. “She already said there’s nothing they can do to Andre without direct proof that he’s involved.”
“Then we just have to catch whoever it is that’s doing his dirty work.”
“No doubt that will be easier said than done,” Belle said, her voice tight.
“We’ll just have to pray that he slips up or that his hireling decides to man up and confess.”
“That would be too easy.”
“Not everything has to be hard. Sometimes God answers prayers in a way that appears easy.” Mitch hesitated. “For sure there’s no harm in praying about it.”
Belle didn’t respond to that. She just lowered her arms and headed for the door. “Thank you for showing me around again.”
Mitch jogged to catch up with her. “Hopefully next time, the painting will all be done.”
“And then we’ll see how good or bad the colors we chose look,” Belle said as she glanced over at him, a small smile tugging at her lips.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine, but if you strongly object to any of them, we can order new paint.”
“I’m sure you’ll be glad to be done with this renovation,” Belle said.
“Only because it will mean the start of something new for you and your business.” They walked down the stairs together. “I hope that just because the reno is done that you won’t want anything more to do with us.”
Belle laughed softly. “There’s still the wedding. By that point, I think Maya and Gabe will be sick of me.”
Mitch touched her on the back, guiding her around a workhorse that had been left near the entrance. “I doubt that will be the case. You’re making their lives much easier, they’ll always be grateful for your help. I know that about Maya and Gabe.”
As they stepped out of the building, Belle took the hard hat off and tucked it under her arm. “Thanks for the tour.”
“Do you have time for a quick lunch?” Mitch asked as they walked to her car.
Belle gave him a look that appeared to be genuinely regretful. “I’m afraid I don’t. I have a vendor meeting in twenty minutes, and then it’s back to the office to meet with a prospective client. Maybe another time?”
“Sure,” Mitch said, hoping it was an actual rain check.
Belle hurried to her car and gave a final wave before getting behind the wheel.
As the day passed, Belle found herself equally distracted between the issue with Andre and how she’d felt spending time with Mitch. She knew it wasn’t fair to him for her to continue coming around, talking to him, when she couldn’t—wouldn’t—give him what he wanted. But she couldn’t deny how being around him made her feel.
While she felt the need to control most the people—okay, the men—she came in contact with, it was different with Mitch. From the start, she’d found herself willing to trust him. To believe that he would do his best for her, both as a contractor and as a friend. He gave her a sense of safety and security, even in the midst of the mess with Andre.
It made her want to reconsider things with him, but there was just enough of the wounded, scared girl who’d barely managed to find the strength to escape Andre to keep her from taking that step. She knew Mitch was different. Even if she didn’t trust her own judgment, the sisters who had railed on Andre every time they spoke to her, were now Mitch’s biggest cheerleaders. It was one of the reasons Andre had found ways to limit her contact with her family.
She’d been so blind. So determined to find her own way. To be someone other than Annalisse’s daughter. Instead, she’d become Andre Moreau’s girlfriend. Something that was infinitely worse. If she’d thought she didn’t have an identity working with her mother, she’d had even less of one with Andre. It had taken her far too long to figure out he was taking credit for much of what she did for him.
Since going back to her mom and eventually taking over the business, Belle had devoted herself completely to it, and she didn’t see that changing anytime soon. That, more than anything, was why she resisted letting anything develop with Mitch. She’d lose her identity once again. And after struggling so hard to regain it, she just couldn’t accept that.
In the weeks leading up to the finishing touches being applied at the building, there was no more graffiti and, more surprisingly, no more bouquets. Well, as long as she didn’t count the ones that showed up from Mitch. She’d thought it would just be the one bouquet, but they’d continued to arrive, but not on a set day like Andre’s had. Apparently, Mitch just sent them whenever the urge struck him.
The flowers weren’t always the same, but they were always full of color and never included a single rose. She wondered if that bothered him. Roses were the flower of romance, after all. He probably hated the fact that Andre had spoiled that for her.
Belle wasn’t sure what worried her more: the lack of graffiti or the lack of flowers. She didn’t think for one minute that Andre had just thrown his hands up and said oh well. More likely, he was gearing up for something big. Not that he’d ever be tied to it. Much like the graffiti, he’d have someone else do his dirty work.
They’d updated the security at the site now that it was almost finished. They had more camera surveillance than a bank and so many exterior lights they could probably be seen from space. Maybe it had been enough to get Andre to keep his distance.
“Ready to go?” Jasmine asked as she locked the front door of the shop. “Mitch is meeting us there, right?”
“Yeah. He said he’d be there after five.”
After they had made sure the door was secure, they set the alarm and left, taking Belle’s car to the new site. A lot of the new furnishings had been delivered that day, so Jasmine was anxious to go over and start setting stuff up.
It would be the first time Belle would see the place completely ready for the furniture. Mitch had told her that the walls had all been painted and the carpet and other flooring were in place.
When they got to the building, it wasn’t just Mitch there. It looked like a few of his brothers had joined him, along with several women that she recognized from the weekend up at the cabin, including Denise.
“Hey, you two,” Mitch said, smiling as he came towards them. “I brought along a little help since I thought you might not be content to just unwrap the stuff that was delivered today.”
“Oh, you are so right,” Jasmine said, an excited look on her face.
Belle looked around, taking it all in. Even with large boxes piled everywhere, this was everything she’d dreamed of but had been afraid to hope for. She could only imagine how much better it would look when everything was in place.
People began to rip into the boxes, quickly unpacking the pieces that Jasmine had chosen for the shop. As each piece was revealed, Jasmine directed their friends where to put it. Large white couches were placed in the areas in front of the pedestals and mirrors where those who accompanied the bride on her quest for the perfect dress could sit and pass their judgment on the dresses she modeled.
Small tables with glass shelves and brass edging were placed in strategic locations along the walls and then topped with the décor that Jasmine had chosen. Other pieces of furniture were carried up to the second floor and placed in Belle’s office and the conference room. Belle and the other women followed Jasmine’s directions as they unwrapped and positioned the smaller pieces.
At some point, a couple of people made a coffee run to Tim Hortons, coming back laden down with coffee, hot chocolate, and tea, along with a large assortment of donuts and muffins. They took a quick break before diving back in to the work at hand. Where Belle had assumed it would take several days to get everything unwrapped and set up, it appeared that perhaps it would only take a couple. She knew that Jasmine would be thrilled about that.
Their grand opening was a couple of weeks away, but the more they got done ahead of time, the better. Belle still had to pack up her office, and closer to moving day, the alterations department would move all their equipment and ongoing work over to the new site. The dresses would be among the last things to be moved over.
They had planned to do that overnight when there would be little traffic, and parking wouldn’t be an issue while they loaded up the truck and then drove it to the new location. Moving the dresses would no doubt require a few trips, but Belle hoped that if it went as smoothly as the furniture unpacking was going, it wouldn’t take too long.
“Is everything looking like you’d hoped it would?”